In the following discussion, certain articles and methods are described for background and introductory purposes. Nothing contained herein is to be construed as an “admission” of prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to demonstrate, where appropriate, that the articles and methods referenced herein do not constitute prior art under the applicable statutory provisions.
Comprehensive gene expression analysis and protein analysis have been useful tools in understanding mechanisms of biology. The advent of DNA microarrays allowed the study of a larger number of labeled molecules than ever before, enabled by the specificity of nucleic acid hybridization. Due to non-specific hybridization of similar nucleic acids, DNA microarray-based methods can have small dynamic ranges and high background.
Peptide or protein arrays enable high-throughput screening of compounds that may interact with one or more of the peptides or proteins, and are useful in various applications including basic scientific research and drug discovery. For example, an array of peptide or protein molecules potentially suitable as modulators for a particular biological receptor may be screened with respect to that receptor. However, peptide or protein arrays can be difficult to manufacture, and the screening of arrayed peptides or proteins generally may be carried out against only relatively few labeled molecules at a time.